Flight guidelines.

It has become apparent that we need to educate the public that we are responsible people and show the public a different side to the "drone" image they get in the media. This is a list intended for you to print out and hand to people who may approach you with their concerns or hopefully their interest in your quad. I understand some of these guidelines may grate against some of the civil libertarians out there but they are in the interest of improving our image to the public and the only way to do that sometimes is compromise instead of digging our heals in.
Please feel free to tell me what you think I should add that will be helpful for you to distribute to people you interact with while flying. Number 4 in particular. If someone asks me to stop shooting with my digital SLR I respect their wishes.(Within reason of coarse. If i were documenting some Rodney King moment I would gather the evidence if safe to do do.

Flying guidelines.

1-400 ft altitude limit in most areas of most countries. Avoid All other aircraft. (Check the relevant regulations.)

2-Maintain 30 metres from people or property.

3-Avoid flying over property without permission.

4-If someone asks you politely to stop flying do so. (Wether you have the right to fly or not it's basic courtesy.)

5- Don't fly where you could distract people into an accident.(Ie over roads, construction sites etc)

I knew number 4 would be controversial. It's my opinion that it is not worth a black eye. Or having someone smash my quad. Thats why i posted the example of shooting with my DSLR. If someone is polite i will co operate.Getting into an argument and saying I have the right to fly is rarely helpful and the whole point is to change public perception of us. You don't make friends pissing people off.I'm not taking you to task by the way just voicing my feelings.
I would take kites as other aircraft and avoid them. Don't want to get tangled in strings

I'm thinking it's a judgement call. I'm not inclined to argue with anyone. I don't know what I would do. Perhaps I would invite them to call the police. Or perhaps I would call the police.

Assault and battery are crimes, and would be subject to criminal and civil court proceedings.

Of course, criminals who ply their trade at public parks (where we also might operate UAV's) would not want to be photographed from the ground or the air...and some of those might have firearms or other weapons.

Another thing to consider are so-called eavesdropping laws. In some states of the USA, it is illegal to make audio recordings of others without consent. A UAV with camera is probably also recording audio.

I suppose that could make flying a UAV with a camera (or any device that records audio) illegal...and subject to criminal and civil court proceedings...or at the least standard shakedown proceedings.

Anyway im looking to improve public perception of us. Like i mentioned the point was that i could compile a list of guidelines we could print out and give to people to show steps we take to be responsible end users

I would suggest that you add the word 'low' before 'over'. Respect for pivacy is important but varies in interpretation. You will never do any flying if you apply this as is.

At least here in the UK generally landowners do not own the airspace - apart from a few.

I think you cannot have a general world wide policy. For example here in the UK there are specific regulations covering flight distance from people that are different from your suggestions and we can fly generally to 1000ft with some caveats.

I think its better to have country specific plain mans guide for both pilots and the general public. There is a huge glut of naivety amongst beginners as to the law and therefore the public too don't understand what is acceptable.

I really do believe it's all about education, of both pilots and the public. Anything that contributes to that must be good.

Sorry, but #4 should go. I am so tired of having to be apologetic and bow to a minority of people who are "bothered" or "offended" by one thing or another. The vast majority of people I have talked to have no problem with my drone as long as I fly responsibly and safely. The rest will just have to deal with it. I refuse to be "politely" bullied for exercising our rights to the pursuit of happiness.

Sorry, but #4 should go. I am so tired of having to be apologetic and bow to a minority of people who are "bothered" or "offended" by one thing or another. The vast majority of people I have talked to have no problem with my drone as long as I fly responsibly and safely. The rest will just have to deal with it. I refuse to be "politely" bullied for exercising our rights to the pursuit of happiness.

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Its not the flyovers that are freaking people out. Its the hovers. If you hover your drone over my backyard at 60-100 feet while my 16 year old is out sun bathing, I'm going to find you, and you will have a black eye.

Sorry, but #4 should go. I am so tired of having to be apologetic and bow to a minority of people who are "bothered" or "offended" by one thing or another. The vast majority of people I have talked to have no problem with my drone as long as I fly responsibly and safely. The rest will just have to deal with it. I refuse to be "politely" bullied for exercising our rights to the pursuit of happiness.

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Its not the flyovers that are freaking people out. Its the hovers. If you hover your drone over my backyard at 60-100 feet while my 16 year old is out sun bathing, I'm going to find you, and you will have a black eye.

Use some common sense.

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Well-said. I agree. It is the hovering that is a problem, not flying by.

Sorry, but #4 should go. I am so tired of having to be apologetic and bow to a minority of people who are "bothered" or "offended" by one thing or another. The vast majority of people I have talked to have no problem with my drone as long as I fly responsibly and safely. The rest will just have to deal with it. I refuse to be "politely" bullied for exercising our rights to the pursuit of happiness.

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Its not the flyovers that are freaking people out. Its the hovers. If you hover your drone over my backyard at 60-100 feet while my 16 year old is out sun bathing, I'm going to find you, and you will have a black eye.

Its not the flyovers that are freaking people out. Its the hovers. If you hover your drone over my backyard at 60-100 feet while my 16 year old is out sun bathing, I'm going to find you, and you will have a black eye.

Use some common sense.

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+1 re: hovering - I have joggers waving at it when I do early morning flights

Another thing that I have seen videos of that bothers people is when people feel they are being followed where your craft is keeping pace with a moving person or group. Its a similar feeling towards hovering over a backyard. Following people or groups can be of course be valid e.g a sports event like a cycle or runner group. Its just doing it over people where they are not aware of your intentions. You can see how this could breed bad feeling.

When positive people stop for a chat I always make a point of telling them what I won't do. If you educate these positively interested folks with your good code of practice they in turn will be your best 'sales' people for the activity. We too can obviously be good sales people, however we are seen as being biased with a vested interest. Well educated, non vested interest, bystanders will get far more 'sales' and the positive word spreads.

Seems like a couple of things that can get us noticed in a bad way are privacy issues, reckless flying and flying into airspace used by maned aircraft. This is especially true of helos. We regularly have helos flying over our house at 400' AGL. Last week I was taking photos at about 200 feet when I heard a helo. I descended immediately and he overflow me at about 300'. That actually could be called pretty close call had I not descended.
Overall though, with regard to this group, we're pretty much preaching to the choir. It's the reckless, thoughtless drone pilots who don't lurk here that we have to worry about. These guys could get is legislated out of business pretty fast. Fly safe

You said "At least here in the UK generally landowners do not own the airspace - apart from a few."

I am in the UK.. That's interesting, so we could theoretically fly anywhere, as long as we stick to safety and privacy rules and no one could say, stop flying over my land?

Also, I was told 3% of land in the UK in common land, ie. Churches, and I was told that's OK to fly around them for photography, bearing in mind local houses and privacy with distance etc.....

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The important permission is for where you take off from not necessarily what you fly over or indeed film. As i live near the sea I do a lot of flying where I take off between high spring tide and low tide. Technically most of our coast line is owned by the Crown and is available for recreational use by the public.
Having said that you cannot just fly anywhere. The UK governing body is the CAA and yes they do cover Phantoms and the like. It is a bit of a minefield to get your head round it all though. A while ago I did a post that tried to sum it up in more plain language. The post is at viewtopic.php?t=14532

Its still a work in progress but fairly mature now at giving UK P pilots an understanding of the regulations.

So, tonight, weather was dry, cloudy but nice.
I went to a local village, near a lake and took off from a deserted public country footpath.
I filmed over the lake at two churches, one if which I had permission to do as I wish..
No people, until 15 mins later, then a couple came walking nearby, I could see they were pretending to look across the lake etc.. but I was being 'eyed up' so to speak. I was packing up and walked past and said hello, but, these flying cameras certainly attract attention even in the middle of nowhere.

I don't suppose there is a question in the above paragraph but, as a 55 year old codger, I would like to know the full 'ins and outs'.
I fancy going to my local towns and film historical buildings and ruins from old, but, as it is in a park, public, but not particularly busy, I suppose that needs permission from a local council to take off, which I doubt would be granted..

I ain't been stopped in the countryside in my locality area yet, but I am sure everyone knows it me with the phantom.

Had it for about 3 weeks now, and loving it to bits!

I've got some great still photos of the area and the thatched roof church though...